Kerrygold Moments

Seafood is one of the simplest yet most spectacular cuisines. Delicious but delicate, there’s a fine balance between getting it right or missing the mark. If you’re hoping to make a great fish dish, then read on as we share our top seafood cooking tips.

1. Enhance the natural flavours

When it comes to fresh seafood, there’s no need to fuss with fancy spices. The simplest seasoning often works best – fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon, or a generous drizzle of Kerrygold Garlic and Herb Butter. When you go to the trouble of preparing a fresh fillet of fish, skip any artificial seasoning to ensure that its natural flavours shine through on the plate.

Of course, there will be times when you’d like to jazz up the seafood a bit more. Our seafood marinade and zesty butter sauce are perfect for moments like this! They work wonders with shrimp and prawns, and are simply perfect for a braai.

For the seafood marinade, you will need:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Juice of half of a lemon
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 900 g shrimp

What to do:

Whisk together olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, tomato paste, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place shrimp in a large bowl and pour marinade over the shrimp, tossing to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

To braai the shrimp, place wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the shrimp on them. Braai on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until shrimp are done. Brush warm zesty butter sauce over shrimp and serve.

For the zesty butter sauce, you will need:

• 8 tbsp Kerrygold Salted Butter
• ½ tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp minced garlic
• Juice of half of a lemon
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

What to do:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add salt, garlic, lemon juice, crushed red pepper and fresh herbs. Set aside until ready to serve. Rewarm before serving if necessary.

2. Ensure a crispy skin

Always start sautéing your fish with the skin side down – this will allow more time for the skin to become nice and crispy! Another way to ensure that coveted crispiness, is to score the skin and rub salt into it. Above all, the fish needs to be as dry as possible to avoid any excess moisture in the pan. Simply pat paper towels over all sides of the fish before you start sautéing.

3. The right cooking times

It’s always best to go with the set instructions of a recipe, but if there’s ever any uncertainty, here is a general guideline on how to time the cooking of seafood.

• Hake: The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillet. It’s important to cook it until just opaque and flaking. To check this, gently prod the thickest part of the fish with the point of a knife and the flakes should separate easily.
• Salmon: After 6-8 minutes of cooking over a medium-high heat, insert the tip of knife into the thickest part of the salmon. It should be flaky, with only a slight bit of translucency in the middle.
• Prawns: Pop the shellfish into the pan and sauté only for a few minutes until tender. The prawns will change in colour and begin to curl. When properly cooked, the exterior should be pink with red tails and the flesh slightly opaque.
• Mussels: In a covered pot over high heat, fresh mussels should only take about 4-5 minutes. The shells will open once they are cooked. Discard any mussels whose shells have not opened.

4. The finest accompaniments

Wondering which sides pair well with seafood? Here are a few of our favourites.

• Baby Potato Salad with Radishes, Mint & Peas with Lemon Butter – a fresh and zesty potato salad that works wonders alongside grilled fish or poached salmon. Watch how to make it.
• Buttered green beans – for haddock, cod, whiting or hake. To make this, simply boil 400g beans for 4-5 minutes until tender, drain, then return to the saucepan and sauté in 2 tablespoons Kerrygold Unsalted Butter. Toss and season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cucumber Radish Salad – pairs particularly well with garlic butter shrimp or prawns. To make the salad, simply combine 1 cup salad mix with 8 slices cucumber, 2 small radishes, 1/4 medium avocado, 50-80g Kerrygold Gouda cheese and a lime vinegar dressing. To make the dressing, combine the juice of 2 limes with 2 tablespoons extra light virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Recipe credit: mamaharriskitchen.com
• Champ – similar to mashed potatoes, but with a cabbage and spring onion mixture. This proudly Irish dish is sensational with fish, particularly salmon. Get the recipe here.
• Irish brown soda bread or any crusty bread with lashings of Kerrygold butter, to mop up all those delicious juices. Here’s the recipe.
• Linguine – great for shellfish such as prawns, shrimp and lobster. Get the recipe for our divine Linguine with Prawns.

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